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"Even Now," Manilow shines

August 28, 2011 - Kathleen Palumbo

He writes the songs that make the whole world sing. And on Saturday, sing, we did, when Barry Manilow brought his talent to Youngstown’s Covelli Center.

A 1970’s hit magnet, with four decades of staying power, Manilow showed no signs of slowing down as he teamed with our own Youngstown Symphony Orchestra for the August 27th show, where he sang, danced and played to the nearly 6,000 fans that filled the multi-purpose arena.

Having toured with the orchestra, whom Manilow referred to as not only talented musicians, but good people, “I kind of feel like I know all of you already,” he said warming up to the crowd.

Nearly an hour and a half later, having pulled out all the stops with “Mandy,” “Weekend in New England,” “Somewhere Down the Road,” and “Copacabana,” and having shared a scratchy recording of his grandfather encouraging song from Manilow as a child, we shared his sentiment; we kind of felt like we knew him too.